Arsenal vs Qarabag: Team news and predicted starting XI

Arsenal will be hoping to make it eight wins on the bounce when they make the 5000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan tomorrow night to take on Qarabag in the Europa League.

Unai Emery has named a strong squad to travel to Baku, however there is no place for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who will miss the trip after opting not to apply for a special work permit for the clash.

Mkhitaryan, a native Armenian, is been banned from entering Azerbaijan due to conflicts between the two nations in recent years.

Emery however is able to call on defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos again, after the Greek international’s injury cleared up, while Sead Kolasinac is also in the squad and could be set for his first start since returning from a knee injury.

With a tough clash against Fulham awaiting on Saturday afternoon, a number of the Gunners’ regular starting XI could also be rested, giving the likes of Danny Welbeck and Stephan Lichtsteiner a chance to impress.

Injury news

Petr Cech has been sidelined for up to a month with a hamstring injury, meaning summer signing Bernd Leno keeps his place in goal. Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (fractured fibula) and Laurent Koscielny (Achilles) all remain out.